The embodiments described herein relate generally to removing a defect from a metal panel, and more specifically, to a method and apparatus for applying a known force in a consistent and repeatable manner to a defect in a metal panel to remove the defect from the panel.
Many products include parts formed from sheet metal, for example steel sheets, aluminum sheets, and/or other metals. The sheet metal is often stamped into a desired shape. The final stamped part may be referred to as a panel. In the specific example of an automobile, stamped panels may be referred to as body panels and include a hood panel, a side panel, a door panel, a roof panel, etc. Automobiles, aircraft, and other vehicles may include many panels formed from sheet metal.
A defect is an imperfection in what would otherwise be a smooth surface of a body panel. For example, the defect may be a dent or a protrusion. Since body panels are relatively thin, a dent within one surface of the body panel may appear as a protrusion within the opposite surface of the body panel. Defects may be introduced to a body panel during the stamping process itself, for example, due to an imperfection or debris within a stamping press. Furthermore, defects may be introduced to a body panel after stamping, for example, during transport or installation of the body panel onto the vehicle.
Typically, if a defect is discovered in a body panel during manufacturing of an automobile, the defect is either pounded out, sanded down, or pulled. For example, if a dent is present on a visible surface (i.e., the surface of the panel that will be visible on the completed vehicle), the corresponding protrusion on the non-visible surface of the panel may be pounded out. More specifically, a hammer may be used to apply a tapping force on a tool used to direct that force onto the protrusion, in order to lower the protrusion and the corresponding dent to the same level as the surrounding material. This method requires two hands and can only be used on the non-visible surface of a panel to avoid creating additional imperfections on the visible surface of the panel. Sanding a protrusion off of the visible surface of a panel introduces the risk of removing a higher than desirable amount of material. The efficacy of each of these methods is dependent upon a skill level of the person performing the work.